InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In the Beginning... ❯ The Mortal Wars ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

~*A/N: Writer's block! *holds up blue block with white lettering reading "writer's"* Now in four new colors! Purple, black, red, and gold! I personally prefer the original blue color, but that's just me... Anyways... *throws "writer's" block over shoulder* If only it were that easy... *sigh* Sorry for the ramblings... On with chapter three!*~

DISCLAIMER: *sigh* First writer's block, now this. Does it look like I own it? C'mon people...

Chapter Three: The Mortal Wars

Six Months
Today was rather eventful. After my usual routine of breakfast, lessons, lunch, training, and dinner, was another council. However, today the movements of the ningen were much more urgent than the past few months. It appears that the daimyous are attempting to acquire more lands, and sending their samurai to conquer and settle lands closer to my father's territory. Earlier this week, my father's sentinels reported scouts appearing near the borders. My father growled at this news, and ordered that anymore scouts discovered were to be killed on-site, their carcasses sent back to their masters as a warning. Apparently, this only enraged the bloodthirsty samurai, who sent a group of their best warriors to ambush one of my father's sentinels. The poor youkai was found by his commander when he failed to report in, and was almost unrecognizable. He had been tied to a tree by his limbs, spread-eagled against the trunk. By the wounds on his body, they had slowly tortured him with blades and flame before beheading him. A note written in blood was stabbed through with a knife to his chest. The hilt of the blade bore the insignia of the Hosokawa clan.
When Chikara presented the blood-stained sheet of rice paper to my father, his growl resonated throughout the silent hall. He glared at no one in particular, handing the note to Gendo, who read aloud, "Great Youkai Lord of the Westernlands, we have taken great offence to your treatment of our comrade. If our daimyou wishes to acquire land within your territory, then we will fulfill those wishes. Any threats of violence will be repayed in the like." Gendo crumpled the note in his angry fist. My father's growl rose to a crescendo, "This is war." He muttered the words, but they cut through the silence in the room like a knife. All looked to him with wide eyes, myself included. I have never seen my father so enraged. I was later informed by my mother that the inu youkai who had been slaughtered was the son of one of my father's deceased friends. As soon as he had come of age, he had enlisted in my father's army, and my father vowed to keep him safe. He had failed his dead friend, and the only way to regain his lost honor is to take revenge.
I was further shocked to find that my mother intends to lead a battalion into war herself. When she saw my shocked face, she smiled reassuringly, and I relaxed a fraction. Doubts still cloud my mind. I have never seen my mother anything but gentle and caring, although she could be stern, as she was when disciplining me as a child. I finally had the opportunity to pose my questions to Jaken yesterday, seeing as she was busy elsewhere and unable to attend that morning's lessons. At first, Jaken appeared nervous, his eyes darting about the room and speaking in hushed tones. As he explained, however, he gained confidence and spoke more clearly and forcefully. He briefly described many battles that my mother had fought by my father's side, and touched on the subject of how they met and fell in love. My grandfather had done this purposefully, of course, putting them in the same unit so that they would form a bond through battle. I absently wondered if they would attempt the same with me. It had certainly worked for them. They had saved each other's lives countless times against foes, human and youkai alike. This trust developed on the battlefield, transferred to their lives off of it. Jaken slowly digressed, his eyes gaining a far-away look as he recounted the ceremony that followed their mating, and their anticipation of my birth. I listened to his musings silently, as he slipped into a conversation seemingly with himself. He muttered something about how following my birth my mother had "softened".
I scowled at this comment, a slight growl escaping my lips. He flinched at the sound, snapping back to reality. A sweatdrop appeared on his brow, and I could smell the fear radiating off of him. When did Jaken become so afraid of me? I silenced the growl, smoothing my scowl into a smirk. His fear receded slightly, but still remained. Yes, definately afraid of me. Good. I thanked him for the information, and returned to my writing lessons, and heard an almost inaudible sigh come from his direction. I wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for my youkai hearing, so wrapped up as I was in worry for my mother. Fourteen years since she put aside her armor and sword to focus on being a mother, on me. I am her weakness. I know my father will insist I fight in this war, and part of me hungers for it like I have never hungered for anything in my life. The other part of me hesitates, knowing that my presence will place my mother in danger. I will just have to train harder, to ensure that I will not need her aid during the battles ahead. I must not be weak.

~*A/N: Ha! Take that writer's block! So, whaddya think? Any good? Well, I'm gonna keep writing whether you like it or not, so there! *sticks out tongue impishly* Ja ne!*~